Best 2008: Trailers Pt. 1 | Movie News

Strike Back below!

by: Alex Keen Jan. 5, 2009

Welcome to the 100 Best Trailers of 2008. This is the 8th Annual List dating back to 2001 and my fourth year bringing it exclusively to JoBlo.com. If you visit the Trailers Page frequently, you should know my tastes quite well. Sit back and scan the list for your favorite trailer or movie of the year. Sometimes great trailers make great movies and other times they convince you to see awful movies. Don't hesitate to strike back below if you think I'm completely nuts.

The 100 Best Trailers are listed in order from worst to first. Bear in mind that each year over 400 hundred trailers are released and not every trailer can fit on this list. The selection of the 100 Best is not compiled by the site as a whole, nor is it based on reader feedback. This is not a survey, nor did anyone vote. Just one Schmo's opinion on things.

Selection of the 100 Best depends on a multitude of criteria. Paramount to making a great trailer, previews must excel in edit, music selection, character and story development, and originality. There are standard types of trailers that movie audiences are accustomed to seeing; this list intends to encourage filmmakers and marketing firms to break those molds. Each movie is only allowed one entry on the list. The power of the movie trailer is not in the safe and secure track, but the exploration of new ways to grab the audience's attention. Trailers that were released last year (like some of the trailers for THE DARK KNIGHT) are not qualified for this list.

This list will consist of two parts 100-26 and 25-1. I will feature the Worst Trailer of the year on my personal MYJOBLO Profile. Previous Best of the Years Winners include: FUNNY GAMES, 300, JARHEAD, GARDEN STATE, THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE, FEMME FATALE, and 40 DAYS, 40 NIGHTS.

100. DEATH RACE 99. MEDICINE FOR MELANCHOLY 98. THE MUMMY: TOMB OF THE DRAGON EMPEROR 97. FROM PARIS WITH LOVE 96. IGOR 95. THE GRAND 94. WHERE IN THE WORLD IS OSAMA BIN LADEN? 93. TROUBLE THE WATER 92. THE PINK PANTHER 2 91. RAIN OF MADNESS 90. SEVEN POUNDS 89. SUNSHINE CLEANING 88. KABLUEY 87. ICE AGE: DAWN OF THE DINOSAUR 86. THE PROMOTION 85. SON OF RANBOW 84. NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST 83. THE TRACEY FRAGMENTS 82. MY BLOODY VALENTINE 3-D 81. VERONIKA DECIDES TO DIE

SPOTLIGHT - # 91 RAIN OF MADNESS Normally, I wouldn't include a fake movie trailer on this list. However, the mock trailer for this kick ass TROPIC THUNDER mockumentary is the perfect example of how to create a viral video. This trailer not only made TROPIC THUNDER look great, RAIN OF MADNESS was also available on iTunes and the future DVD release. A must see for fans of TROPIC THUNDER.

80. THE BANK JOB 79. CROSSING OVER 78. REDBELT 77. STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE 76. BACKSEAT 75. TOWELHEAD 74. SAW V 73. PRIDE & GLORY 72. MONSTERS vs. ALIENS 71. THE INTERNATIONAL 70. BIGGER, STRONGER, FASTER 69. VALKYRIE 68. EARTH 67. VICKY CRISTINA BARCELONA 66. LAKEVIEW TERRACE 65. THE WACKNESS 64. BABY MAMA 63. WHAT DOESN'T KILL YOU 62. BONNEVILLE 61. ELITE SQUAD

SPOTLIGHT - # 69 VALKYRIE Early word on the new Tom Cruise movie, VALKYRIE, was atrocious before the first trailer. Although this preview wasn't a complete home run, it was far better than most people expected. Sure, Cruise looks goofy in an eye patch. Nevertheless, the composition makes the movie looks like a piece of quality cinema and not some straight-to-video lark.

60. REVOLUTIONARY ROAD 59. BRIDE WARS 58. SHOTGUN STORIES 57. FRONTRUNNERS 56. MAX PAYNE 55. MILK 54. RELIGULOUS 53. DOUBT 52. STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS 51. UP 50. MUTANT CHRONICLES 49. THE COTTAGE 48. ROLE MODELS 47. JCVD 46. SHROOMS 45. FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL 44. NOTORIOUS 43. ROCKNROLLA 42. GOLIATH 41. GHOST TOWN

SPOTLIGHT - # 45 FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL Easily the best Apatow comedy of the year, FORGETTING SARAH MARSHALL had good but not perfect trailers. If anything, they saved the best scenes for the movie. This was one of those trailers that slowly snuck up on you without ruining the movie-going experience.

40. NEW YORK, I LOVE YOU 39. EAGLE EYE 38. SPEED RACER 37. KILLER AT LARGE 36. DEAR ZACHARY 35. 9 34. HARRY POTTER AND THE HALF-BLOOD PRINCE 33. THE WRESTLER 32. TROPIC THUNDER 31. MARLEY & ME 30. CHAOS THEORY 29. THE FALL 28. THE STRANGERS 27. X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE 26. THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON

Make sure to check back for the remainder of the list!